Roller leveller straightening machines for metal plates, sheet or strip



Nov. 10, 1964 K. T. LAWSON ROLLER LEVELLER STRAIGHTENING MACHINES FOR METAL PLATES, SHEET OR STRIP 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1961 m6 Q w r bill F a o 0 a M@M M m F w \f xv 1 Q 3 I MT 1.! m wv w Td l T l. R J K mw E2: :1: m: l% h KP .0 0 O n mm m wn mm mm mm. B Q 7 mm I R} mm ,1 mm fi m m .51 4 QN RN QM QM m E v Nov. 10, 1964 Filed Oct. 16, 1961 LAWSON 3,156,288

K. T. ROLLER LEVELLER STRAIGHTENING MACHINES FOR METAL PLATES, SHEET OR STRIP 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW Nov, 10, 1964 K. T. LAWSON 3,156,288

ROLLER LEVELLER STRAIGHTENING MACHINES FOR METAL PLATES, SHEET OR STRIP Filed Oct. 16. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 10, 1964 K T LAWSON 3,156,288

ROLLER LEVELLER STRAIGHTENING MACHINES FOR METAL PLATES, SHEET OR STRIP Filed 001.. 16, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 l/ll/l/ Nov. 10, 1964 K. T. LAWSON 3,156,288

ROLLER LEVELLER STRAIGHTENING MACHINES FOR METAL PLATES, SHEET 0R STRIP Filed Oct. 16, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet s 11171111271! k \,',&\\\((((@ Nov. 10, 1964 K. T. LAWSON 3,156,288

ROLLER LEVELLER STRAIGHTENING MACHINES FOR METAL PLATES, SHEET OR STRIP Filed Oct. 16. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet e United States Patent 3,156,288 ROLLER LEVELLER STRAIGHTENING MACHINE? FOR METAL PLATES, SirEET 0R STRIP Kenneth Thomas Lawson, Marten, Middlesbrough, England, assignor to Head Wrightson & Company Limited, Durham, England, a company of Great Britain Filed Oct. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 145,135 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Get. 18, 1960, 35,747/60 6 Claims. (Cl. 153l07) This invention relates to roller leveller straightening machines for metal plates, sheet or strip. Hereinafter the word plates shall be taken to include not only metal plates but also metal sheet or strip.

Roller levellers generally comprise two series of rolls arranged one above the other, between which steel plate to be straightened is passed. Such machines include means for adjusting the setting of the rolls so that the gap between the upper and lower rolls can be opened or closed to suit the thickness of plate being levelled; sometimes the whole top assembly is made to move as a unit, sometimes the top centre rolls are made to move as a unit, the entry and exit rolls being separately adjustable, sometimes each roll has separate adjustment.

Roll settings, especially in the case of a jobbing leveller, which may only have seven rolls, are rather critical so that the plate may have to be passed through the machine more than once until the correct setting is found and the plate is flattened. A leveller which has to deal with a large volume of plate must, however, be able to level in one pass, such levellers might have as many as seventeen rolls, and means are provided for adjusting the rolls longitudinally, i.e. in the direction of travel of the plate, to give a heavy setting at the entry side of the machine varying to a light setting at the exit side, and laterally, i.e. in a direction which is normal to the direction of travel of the plate, to vary, it necessary, the pressure applied to the edges of the plate. (A heavy setting is given with a relatively narrow gap between the top and bottom sets of rolls.) Further means are also provided for flexing the rolls so that pressure can be applied at the centre or either or both edges of the plate.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved roller leveller straightening machine of the kind which includes means for adjusting the distance between the two series of work rolls, means for adjusting the longitudinal position of the work rolls, means for adjusting the lateral position of the work rolls, and means for flexing the work rolls.

Such levellers must also be able to reverse and level plate travelling either way through the machine and it is an advantage to be able to adjust and reverse the work roll settings quickly. 7

According to the present invention, there is provided a roller leveller straightening machine of the kind de scribed, in which the means for adjusting the longitudinal position of the work rolls and/ or the means for adjusting the lateral position of the work roll-s comprise two plate members in face contact one with the other and means for effecting relative angular movement between the two members, wherein the interface of the plate members is at an angle to the planes containing the other and outer faces of the plate members which faces in one position are parallel to one another, whereby in use relative angular movement between the two plate members will cause a change in the angle between the two outer faces,

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which,

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a roller leveller straightening machine incorporating the adjusting means according to the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a corresponding plan view,

FIGURE 3 is a corresponding side elevation in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a section, on an enlarged scale, on the line 44 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a cross-section showing the arrangement of the parts of the adjusting means, I

FIGURES 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views showing alternative positions of use for the adjusting means, and,

FIGURES 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views showing two alternative methods of operating the adjusting means.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 3 of the drawings, the machine comprises generally, a housing or supporting framework 10 including corner posts 11, an upper roll assembly 12 including a set of work rolls 13 mounted on a framework 14, and backing rolls 15 arranged in brackets 16, and a lower roll assembly 1'7 including a set of work rolls 18 mounted on a framework 19, and backing rolls 20 arranged in brackets 21.

In order to effect adjustment of the space between the upper and lower work rolls 13, 18 the upper work roll assembly 12 is mounted on a crosshead assembly 22 which is movable in a vertical direction relative to the main supporting housing it) on which the lower work roll assembly 17 is mounted. The upper roll assembly 12 is supported on the crosshead 22 through spring assemblies 23 pivotally secured by means of brackets 24 to a supporting plate 25. The supporting plate 25 is hingedly mounted, through brackets 26, on an axle 27 arranged in hearings on bracket arms 28 fixed to the crosshead 22. Movement of the crosshead 22 and thus also of the upper work rolls 13, is carried out by means of a hand wheel 29 which operates screw jacks (not shown), through connecting rods 3% and gear boxes 31 to raise or lower all four corners of the crosshead.

In order to effect longitudinal adjustment of the upper work rolls 13 the supporting plate 25 is swung about its brackets 26. This is carried out by a lever arm 32 which is fixed to the axle-2'7 and which can be angularly moved to any desired position with respect to a castellated indicator plate 33. This angular movement is transmitted to the supporting plate 25 and thus also to the rolls 13 through two-armed actuating members 34 fixed to the axle 2'7 and arranged to bear on the plate 25. Thus angular movement of the lever arm 32 to either side of the vertical is operative to cause movement of the rolls 13 to give a heavy setting at the entry side of the machine varying to a light setting at the exit side, and vice versa.

In order to hex the work rolls 13, the backing rolls 15, hearing on the ends of the rolls which are required to be flexed, are caused to increase or decrease the pressure applied to the work rolls. This is carried out by means of a hand wheel 35 which is operative, through connecting rods 36 and gear boxes 37, to actuate cam members (not shown) which bear on the brackets 16 of the backing rolls 15.

The means for efiecting lateral adjustment of the work rolls of the machine consists of a rotary wedge device 38 which in this case acts on the lower work rolls 18.

The rotary wedge device 3% comprises two wedgeshaped plate members 39, 4t) the inclined faces of which are in face-to-face contact one with the other and, in a position where the work rolls 1% are horizontal, the opposite and outer faces thereof are parallel.

The upper plate member 39 is fixed to the framework 19 of the lower roll assembly 17, while the lower plate member 4t is turnably mounted on a stub axle or pin 41 (FIGURE 5) fixed to the floor 42 of the leveller housing it). The two plate members 3h, 49 are pivotally connected by means of a common pivot pin 43 so that, in

use, relative rotation between the two plates can take place.

In practice, the plate member 4-0 is rotated relative to the plate member 39 and this has the effect of tilting the outer face of the plate member 39 relative to the outer face of the plate member 46 to cause corresponding tilting, through the framework 19, of the lower work rolls 18. For this purpose the framework 19 cooperates with vertical guides 44 which permit of vertical movement of the plate member 39 but prevent rotation thereof.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 3, the interface of the plate members 39, 40 is inclined in a direction which is coaxial with the direction of travel through the machine of the plate being treated and rotation of the plate member 49 relative to the plate member 39 will therefore cause lateral tilting of the rolls 18, that is to say in a direction which is normal to the direction of travel of the plate being treated.

In an alternative embodiment, as indicated in chain-dot lines in FIGURE 1, the device may be used to effect longitudinal adjustment of the work rolls. For this purpose the interface of the plate members 39, 4G is inclined in a direction which is normal .to the direction of travel of the plate being treated. In such a case, alternative means, for example, the lever means hereinbefore described, could be used for providing lateral adjustment of the work rolls.

In a further embodiment, as shown in FIGURE 6, wedge devices 38 can be used for providing both lateral and longitudinal adjustment of the work rolls. In this case one wedge device, having its interface inclined in the direction of travel of the plate being treated, can be associated with the lower roll assembly 17, and a second wedge device, having its interface inclined normal to the direction of travel of the plate being treated, can be associated with the upper roll assembly 12.

In a still further embodiment, as shown in FIGURE 7, a wedge device 38, arranged to effect lateral adjustment of the work rolls, is associated with the upper roll as sembly 12, while other means, such as those described with reference to FIGURES l to 3, may be associated with the lower roll assembly 17 for effecting longitudinal adjustment and, if desired, adjustment of the distance between the two sets of work rolls.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the means for turning the plate member 40 relative to the plate member 39 comprises a hand wheel 45 which is fixed to an internally screw threaded tubular shaft 46 which is mounted for rotation in bearings 47 in a supporting block 48. The shaft 46 is held in position within the block 48 by means of a screw threaded collar 45?. An externally screw threaded spindle 51B is arranged to cooperate with the threaded interior of the shaft 46 and is pivotally connected at its free end with a connecting rod 51 which is pivotally connected to a bracket 52 fixed to the plate member 4%. Thus, in use, rotation of the hand wheel 45 is effective to move the spindle St and thus also the rod 51, relative to the fixed shaft 46 to cause turning of the plate member through the desired angle about the pivots 41, 43 with the result that the plate member 39 is tilted to the required angle.

It can be shown that the slope of the work roll assembly in any instance due to the tilting effected by the wedge device is given by:

t ip

where 12 :rise/ fall at end of wedge device. 2L=length of wedge device. oc=rt21ti011 of the plate.

q =slope of inclined interface.

In practice, rotation of one plate member of the wedge device relative to the other plate member also tends to cause a slight amount of tilting in a plane normal to the direction required, This movement has proved to be d negligible and of no consequence to the efficiency of the machine.

However, if desired, this slight amount of unnecessary tilting can be eliminated by moving both plate members of the wedge device in opposite directions. One way in which this can be carried out is illustrated in FIGURE 8, which shows a threaded boss 53 fixed to the plate member 39 and a threaded boss 54 of opposite hand fixed to the plate member 40. A threaded spindle 55 provided with oppositely acting threads cooperates with the bosses 53, 54 so that in use rotation of a hand Wheel 56 is effective to move the bosses 53, 54 in opposite directions which movement is transmitted to the plate members 39, 49.

In an alternative arrangement, the two levers 57, 58 of a toggle mechanism are connected at 59 to a threaded spindle 659 which passes through a fixed internally screw threaded boss 61. The free ends of the levers 57, 53 are pivotally connected to projections 62, 63 provided on the plate member 39 and the plate member 40 respectively. Thus, in use, rotation of a hand wheel 64 is effective through the spindle an and the links 57, 58 to move the plate members 39, 40 in opposite directions.

It will be understood that the adjusting device according to the invention provides simple and efiicient means for effecting lateral and/ or longitudinal adjustment of the work rolls of a roller leveller straightening machine and in particular enables the machine to correct a wider range of plate defects.

Furthermore, the device is quickly reversible and is such that it does not alter any other setting of the machine such as the gap adjustment between the two Work roll assemblies.

The two plate members 39, 40 of the wedge device 38 may be circular, rectangular, or of any other convenient shape in plan view.

I claim:

1. In a roller leveller straightening machine, means for adjusting the distance between the two sets of work rolls, means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said work rolls, means for adjusting the lateral position of said work rolls, and means for flexing said Work rolls, at least one of said means for effecting work roll position adjustment comprising two plate members in face contact one with the other and means for effecting relative angular movement between said plate members, the interface of said plate members being at an angle to the planes containing the other and outer faces of said plate members, said outer faces in one position being parallel to one another, whereby in use relative angular movement between said plate members will cause a change in the angle between said outer faces.

2. In a roller leveller straightening machine, means for adjusting the distance between the two sets of work rolls, means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said work rolls, means for adjusting the lateral position of said Work rolls, and means for flexing said work rolls, at least one of said means for effecting work roll position adjustment comprising two plate members in face contact one with the other, one of said plate members being associated with one of said sets of work rolls and the other of said plate members being associated with the leveller housing, a common pivot pin mounted between said plate members, and means for effecting relative angular movement between said plate members about said pivot pin, the interface of said plate members being at an angle to the planes containing the other and outer faces of said plate members, said outer faces in one position being parallel to one another, whereby in use relative angular movement between said plate members will cause a change in the angle between said outer faces.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, in which said means for effecting movement of said plate members, comprise two screw threaded bosses of opposite hand fixed to the respective plate members, and an actuating spindle formed with oppositely acting threads, said oppositely acting threads cooperating with said bosses so that rotation of said spindle causes angular movement of said bosses, and thus also of said plate members, in opposite directions.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 2, in which said means for elfecting movement of said plate members, comprise two levers connected at one end to the respective plate members, a threaded spindle to which the other ends of said levers are connected, and a fixed threaded housing within which said spindle is adapted to be moved, wherein rotation of said spindle to move it through said housing is elTective to move said plate members in opposite directions.

5. In a roller leveller straightening machine, means for adjusting the distance between the upper and lower sets of work rolls, means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said work rolls, means for adjusting the lateral position of said work rolls, and means for flexing said work rolls, at least one of said means for effecting work roll position adjustment comprising upper and lower plate members, said upper plate member being attached to the assembly of said lower rolls and said lower plate member being pivotally mounted on the leveller housing, a

common pivot pin mounted between said upper and said lower plate members, and means for eilecting angular movement or said lower plate member relative to said upper plate member about said pivot pin, the interface of said plate members being at an angle to the planes containing the other and outer faces of said plate members, said outer faces in one position being parallel to one another, whereby in use, relative angular movement between said plate members will cause a change in the angle between said outer faces.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, in which said means for effecting angular movement of said lower plate member relative to said upper plate member comprise a screw threaded connecting rod connected at one end to said lower plate member, an axially rotatable screw thread sleeve member mounted in a fixed bearing bracket for receiving the other end of said connecting rod, and a hand wheel fixed to said sleeve member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 672,303 Williams Apr. 16, 1901 1,380,347 Blume June 7, 1921 2,963,071 Krynytzky Dec. 6, 1960 

1. IN A ROLLER LEVELLER STRAIGHTENING MACHINE, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO SETS OF WORK ROLLS, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE LONGITUDINAL POSITION OF SAID WORK ROLLS MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE LATERAL POSITION OF SAID WORK ROLLS, AND MEANS FOR FLEXING SAID WORK ROLLS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEANS FOR EFFECTING WORK ROLL POSITION ADJUSTMENT COMPRISING TWO PLATE MEMBERS IN FACE CONTACT ONE WITH THE OTHER AND MEANS FOR EFFECTING RELATIVE ANGULAR MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID PLATE MEMBERS, THE INTERFACE OF SAID PLATE MEMBERS BEING AT AN ANGLE TO THE PLANES CONTAINING THE OTHER AND OUTER FACES OF SAID PLATE MEMBERS, SAID OUTER FACES IN ONE POSITION BEING PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER, WHEREBY IN USE RELATIVE ANGULAR MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID PLATE MEMBERS WILL CAUSE A CHANGE IN THE ANGLE BETWEEN SAID OUTER FACES. 